Panayiotou Highlights Circular Economy and Climate Resilience at EU Council

Brussels: Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, emphasized the urgent need for accelerating the transition to a circular economy to protect citizens, ecosystems, and competitiveness, during her address at the EU Environment Council meeting held in Brussels. According to Cyprus News Agency, Panayiotou stressed that sustainability and resilience are a collective responsibility. The Council meeting focused on the Conclusions on the Circular Economy and Climate Resilience of Europe, alongside discussions on the EU Strategy for the Bioeconomy. The Council approved the Conclusions titled "Europe's Environment - Building a More Circular and Resilient Europe," which underscore the necessity for immediate climate action, promotion of the circular economy, and protection of biodiversity and natural resources. In her intervention, Panayiotou praised the Conclusions as a robust framework for understanding the EU's challenges, highlighting the importance of supporting vulnerable r egions, strengthening resilience, and coordinating sectors. She reiterated the need to expedite the circular transition to safeguard citizens and ecosystems while maintaining competitiveness. The EU Strategy for the Bioeconomy was also a key topic of discussion, focusing on transitioning to a clean and competitive economy by leveraging renewable biological resources and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. Panayiotou welcomed the Strategy as a significant step towards a sustainable, competitive, and resilient Europe, offering opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, and waste management. During the presentation of the Cypriot Presidency's environmental work program, Panayiotou highlighted water resilience as a strategic resource in climate change adaptation plans. The Presidency aims to promote ambitious climate actions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, centralizing the circular economic model in the EU's competitiveness and sustainability agenda. "Our goal is to build a greener, more resilient, a nd competitive Europe, a Europe that leads globally and delivers tangible results to its citizens," she stated. In preparation for the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, Panayiotou held bilateral meetings with key figures including Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall, German State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth, and Irish Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan. Earlier, Panayiotou participated in the European Commission's EU Agri-Food Days, engaging in a high-level panel discussion on the Common Agricultural Policy's role in food security and the European agri-food sector's competitiveness. She also attended a meeting of the Green 10, where she presented the upcoming Cypriot Presidency's work programme.